Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1887-02-05
SCHOOL INTERESTS NO. ii.

4. The teacher must haze aptness to
communicate.
This is one of the essential requisites to
the makeup of teacher. A teacher of
whom it is said, !" he knows enough but
cannot intelligently impart it. is lily
adopted to the work required in school
room. It is a rare art forcibly and
clearly to impress upon the mind OF
another what is in our own mind, and
especially SO in the case of children. The
language, without detriment to the sub
iect, must be SO simplified as to make
every thing level to the capacity and
comprehension of the young mind, and
uttered more in the spirit and manner OF
fond parent than dignified and stern
master. The idea must be impaired to
the pupil just as it lives in the teacher s
mind. He who cannot do this has miss
ed his calling and will prove failure,
or at best second rate teacher. When.
then, person has accumulated enough
of knowledge and has in good degree
the gift to communicate it to others he is
in great measure equipped for the
work. 1t should, however. meyer be for
gotten that practice and experience have
much to with successful work.
5. He must be able to lock INTO the
mind of his pupils.
The teacher must have to fair degree
knowledge of human nature and es-
pecially child nature, SO as to observe Its
different phases and manifestations In
different subjects. He must be able to
look into the mind and understand the
plan of child mind as we'll as the plan OF
the subject taught. He must look into
and observe its mental machinery as a
matchmaker looks into watch, know
ing the bearing which one wheel has
upon another, and the relation between
all the parts, else how can he know to
which part to direct his repairs.
Now as the teacher has to deal with
the child-mind, and adopt his instruc-
tons accordingly, he must be thoroughly
versed in the primary branches. there
fore claim that thorough mental training
on the part of the teacher is just as es-
sential in primary classes as classes of
higher grade. 1t is thought by some
that small attainments are sufficient for
school or class of lower grade
This is great mistake. The capacity to
teach and drill successfully in elemen,
tary principles in any branch is the
highest capacity that can be attained.
This is very important field, for here
the foundation is laid for the future
superstructure, and this should be solid,
substantial. complete.
A distorted and misshapen conception
and instruction of elementary principles
is like an ill-adjusted machine, or foot
out of joint. The teacher should be as
thoroughly versed to teach the elementa-
ry branches as to teach any of the more
advanced portions. His work is emphati-
cally work of first principles. Where
this thorough elementary training is
wanted, it is next to impossible to send
forth a good scholar from the higher
classes. speak from observation and
experience as a teacher of the higher
branches. Hence the true course to pur'
sue is, to drill class thoroughly in the
groundwork, and test them there in
frequent reviews until these elements
become as familiar as household words
To accomplish this advise school off
GERS to secure the best teachers for this
department and pay them well.
WIN. GERHARDT.